Device for collecting a thread, as well as a weaving loom provided with this device



March 1962 TE STRAKE 3,024,814

DEvIcE FOR COLLECTING A THREAD, AS WELL AS A WEAVING LOOM PROVIDED WITH THIS DEVICE Filed Dec. 21, 1959 DEVICE FOR COLLECTING A THREAD, AS WELL AS A WEAVING LOUM PROVIDED WITH THIS DEVICE Lambertus te Strake, Huize Gelria, Deurne, Netherlands Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 860,868 Claims priority, application Netherlands Dec. 24, 1958 7 (Jlaims. (Cl. 139127) The invention relates to a device for temporarily collecting one or more threads, as well as a weaving loom provided with such a device.

With the advent of modern weaving looms which operate at very high speeds the application of a shutter or a grab reciprocably through the shed becomes impossible. Instead, the weft thread is now blown into the shed. In such applications the thread cannot be pulled directly from a spool or cone, because of the resistance as the thread is separated from the spool. Therefore a thread of definite length has to be pulled from the cone and this thread has to be collected in such a manner that this length can be immediately released without too much resistance.

In the prior art a rotatable drum operated to and fro has been used on which the thread is temporarily wound. However, such a device is complicated and diflicult to drive, because the direction of the motion of the rotation has to be reversed extremely rapidly. Also interengaging slays are used, between which the thread is applied according to a zig-zag line. The driving of this slay also gives rise to difliculties, because the parts of the slay are opened and closed successively.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for temporarily collecting a thread of a definite length without the need of moving parts. Further, it is an object to be able to collect a definite length of a thread practically without friction and without complicated driving mechanisms.

According to the invention such a device is characterized by a shaft having near one extremity an aperture for receiving the thread, which thread is drawn into the shaft by means of air.

A practical embodiment is achieved in accordance with the above objects by utilizing a shaft possessing at one end an orifice for connection to a suction line or a suction device and at the other extremity, and at the other end an aperture for receiving the thread. The interior of the shaft is formed such that the bore of the shaft is slit and the ends of the slit are widened. That is, the shape formed within the shaft is similar in cross-section to the cross-section of a bar-bell. Preferably the shaft near the opening for receiving the thread possesses one or more holding devices for the thread.

Such a device is most satisfactory for application to a Weaving loom wherein the thread is picked into the shed by means of air. The loom is so constructed that the shaft with the end where the opening for the receiving or the throughpass of the thread is situated, is placed near a nozzle for blowing the weft thread into the shed. The longitudinal direction of the slit of the shaft is parallel to the course of the thread between a thread supply device and the nozzle. The shaft may be rotatable in such a way about its longitudinal axis alternately one end or the other end of the slit lies near the nozzle. In a preferred embodiment a second shaft with the longitudinal direction of the slit parallel to the course of the thread may be placed between the first shaft and the thread supply. The magnitude of the suction of the air may be altered periodically, e.g. by means of a control cock which is controlled by a movable part of the loom.

Other objects, features and advantages will become ap- 8tates Patent tion.

ice

parent when the description is taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a device for temporarily collecting a part of the thread, as applied to a loom wherein only the essential parts are shown, in order to simplify the function of the device;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of a shaft embodying the teachings of this invention, partly in section; and

FIG. 3 is a side-view of the shaft of FIG. 2, again partly in section.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a loom in which a thread '5 is picked into the shed by a nozzle 1. This thread arrives from a cone 2. By means of rolls 3 and 4, between which the thread 5 is clamped, the thread is pulled from the cone 2. It is not possible to drive the rolls in such a way that the thread is supplied with the same speed to the nozzle 1 as With which the thread is blown into the shed. Even if this were possible the rolls would have to be halted immediately at the moment that the thread 5 is inserted in the shed in the correct manner. Consequently the rolls 3 and 4 rotate constantly and they are preferably provided with a conical surface for the correct adjustment of the pulling-01E speed of the thread 5.

By means of a thread-guide 6 the thread is brought to the correct place on the circumference of the roll 3 for controlling the pulling-off speed.

Since at a given moment the nozzle 1 does not continue to blow the thread into the shed and the rolls 3 and 4 continue to pull-01f the thread 5 from the cone, the thread 5 has to be temporarily collected. This is accomplished by means of a shaft 7, the shape of which is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. This shaft 7 consists of a bar or tube in which a slit 8 is arranged in the longitudinal direc- The width of the slit 8 is such that the thread 5 can readily glide into it without being clamped between the walls of the slit. The ends of the slit 8 are widened, so that apertures, channels or holes 9 extending in the lengthwise direction of the bar are formed, which are connected with the slit 8.

It is not possible to repeatedly draw a thread into a cylindrical shaft without the thread entangling, because the thread has to be drawn doubled into the shaft. The one extremity of the thread is present in a clamping device 10, e.g. during the severing of the thread picked into the shed, or the same extremity is present in the device 11 which presents the thread to the nozzle. The opposite end of the thread is not present. because it lies on the cone 2. If new the thread, which runs into shaft, constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention, through a notch at the site of the suction opening is drawn in, the rolls 3 and 4 'will push the thread which is suspended deeper in the shaft with an evenly hanging bight because the suction action of the air which enters at the throughpass opening for the thread pulls the thread. As best seen in FIG. 3, both parts of the thread will consequently hang in a U-like bight in the slit and will not engage or tangle each other. The two upright parts of the U-shape will remain in the openings 9 and the intermediate part will remain in the slit 8. If a cylindrical tube were used as a suction shaft there would be a chance that the bight will twist. This chance increases when the shaft is rotated in connection with the manner of applying the Weft thread.

In addition to the clamping device 10 near the shaft 7 a second clamping device 13 may be provided which clamps the thread because the thread is picked into the shed by the blowing nozzle. If these clamping devices were not provided, the thread would be blown beyond the last Warp threads and the end would hang as a ravel out of the cloth. By the correct timing of the opening and closing action of the clamps 10 and 13 a length of thread is automatically drawn into the shaft which corresponds to the correct width of the cloth.

Since the rolls 3 and 4 continue supplying the thread, when the clamp 13 is closed a second shaft 14 :may be provided between clamp 13 and the rolls. The shaft 1 4 may be of smaller dimensions than the shaft 7. Also the suction action for shaft 14 need not be great because merely a very short bight is drawn into the thread. that is, just enough to store the thread part during the period of closing the clamp 13. The suction action of shaft 14 can be controlled by means of a cock 15. If a thread is blown twice into the shed, for obtaining a good selvedge, the shaft 7 is rotatable, so that the end of the shaft near the clamp 13 will come to lie near the clamp 10 at the moment that the second part of the thread is blown into the shed.

The suction action of the shaft 7 may be varied, if desired e.g. for mounting a controlling valve in the line 16. This valve can be connected to a movable part of a machine, in such a way, that a strong suction action is obtained when the clamp 13 is open and the clamp; 10 shut, a less strong suction action being obtained when the clamp 13 is closed and the clamp 10 is open.

In conclusion, it is pointed out that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details shown, since modification of the same may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. .A device for temporarily collecting one or more threads while preventing entanglement thereof comprising a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending thread-receiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting; said shaft having enlarged channels formed lengthwise adjacent to and communicating with said slit, said channels also communicating with said suction aperture whereby suction pull established through said suction aperture is stronger in said channels thereby maintaining said thread in a U-shaped loop.

2. Apparatus to be utilized in a loom comprising thread feeding means, thread collecting means including a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending threadreceiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop While preventing said loop from twisting, means for introducing thread to a shed, and thread clamping means disposed between said thread collecting means and said thread introducing means.

3. Apparatus to be utilized in a loom comprising thread feeding means, thread collecting means including a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending threadreceiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting, means for introducing thread to a shed, a first thread clamping means disposed between said thread collecting means and said thread introducing means, and a second thread clamping means disposed between said thread collecting means and said thread feeding means, said respective clamping means adapted to operate successively.

4. Apparatus to be utilized in a loom comprising thread feeding tmeans, thread collecting means including a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending threadreceiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a 1001) into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting, means for introducing thread to a shed, a first thread clamping means disposed between said thread collecting means and said thread introducing means, and a second thread clamping means disposed between said thread collecting means and said thread feeding means, said respective clamping means adapted to operate successively, a second thread collecting means being disposed between said second clamping means and said thread feeding means.

5. Apparatus to be utilized in a loorn comprising thread feeding means, thread collecting means including a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending threadreceiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting, means for introducing thread to a shed, said thread feeding means comprising a pair of adjacent conical rolls and a guide means for feeding said thread between said rolls.

6. Apparatus to be utilized in a loom comprising thread feeding means, thread collecting means including a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending threadreceiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein a suction aperture adapted to be utilized to lower the pressure within said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width. to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting, means for introducing thread to a shed, said shaft of said thread collecting means having enlarged channels formed lengthwise adjacent to and communicating with said slit.

7. A device for temporarily collecting one or more thread while preventing entanglement thereof comprising a shaft having formed therein a longitudinally extending thread-receiving slit, said shaft also having formed therein an aperture adapted to be utilized to direct a stream of air through said slit whereby a thread disposed adjacent said slit is drawn in a loop into said slit, said slit being of a width to readily admit said loop while preventing said loop from twisting, said shaft having enlarged channels formed lengthwise adjacent to and communicating with said slit, said channels also communicating with said aperture whereby air flow established through said aperture is stronger in said channels thereby maintaining said thread in a U-shaped p.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 978,248 Weissenborn Dec. 13, 1910 1,368,691 Brooks Feb. 15, 1921 1,921,396 Pool Aug. 8, 1933 1,963,098 Pool u June 19, 1934 2,089,620 Rossmann Aug. 10, 1937 2,831,678 MacNeill Apr. 22, 1958 2,835,103 Thoma May 20, 1958 2,877,012 Angel et a1. Mar. 10, 1959 

